I bring you greetings from ירושלים עיר הקודש (Yerushalayim Ir Hakodesh) where Harav Yitzchok Dovid Groner ז"ל (Zichrono Livracha), whose lineage can be traced to the first Chabad Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, is buried.
Before embarking upon my address, permit me to convey a brief message I received personally just before leaving from my dear friend and Yerushalmi neighbour, Yehuda Avner. Many of you will fondly recall his term as Israeli Ambassador to Australia which he served with great distinction. His remarks are addressed to Rebbetzin Groner:
“On the occasion of the shloshim, my wife Mimi and I wish to express to you and to all your dear family our heartfelt sense of loss at the passing of one of the most outstanding personalities we have ever met in our lives. Rabbi Groner z”l had a profound influence on us during my period of duty as ambassador to Australia in the nineties.
Over the years I have visited many communities around the world but never did I meet anyone as dynamic, as passionate, as creative, as ingenious, and as selflessly devoted with uncompromising dedication and compassion to the spread of Yiddishkeit as your dear late husband. Nay, I go further: I was on a visit to Montreal when I heard the bitter news, and the grief of the community was palpable there too.
I first met Rabbi Groner in the early eighties when I served as ambassador to Britain. It was in Manchester which I happened to be visiting when he was guest speaker at the opening of a Habad community center there. That is when I initially got a taste of his unique personality, personified in an oratory so persuasive it soared heavenwards, carrying all with him. Mimi and I shall never forget his Tefillat Ne’ila. When he came to the words “sha’arei shamayim p’sach!” the whole shule shook and our hearts trembled. His kavana was infectious, and hence eternal.
It was with the same kavana he touched untold numbers the world over and thus shall Mimi and I forever remember him.”
When I was invited by members of the Groner family to participate in this Shloshim I was somewhat stunned. Despite the extraordinary כבוד (kavod), I was apprehensive as to whether I would be able to adequately honor the memory of such an extraordinary personality whom I both loved and revered. But I cancelled all my arrangements and left ירושלים (Yerushalayim) hoping B’ezrat Hashem to do my best to fulfill this important task.
My first encounter with Rav Groner took place in 1947, the year of his marriage to Devora, Rebbetzin Groner. The Rebbe had sent him on a mission to survey the Australian Jewish scene. I encountered a tall bearded young Rabbi with a formidable personality. But I could not then visualize that this dynamic young man would alter the entire face of Australian Jewry. I remember him clearly because I was privileged to have him partake at my bar mitzvah which took place in the Elwood Talmud Torah - then in its infancy - and he spoke at the reception which took place in the Samuel Myers Hall.
Let me say that when he first arrived here in 1947, in the wake of the Shoa, as far as Yiddishkeit was concerned, Australia was truly a מדבר (Midbar). Melbourne had a handful of Jews who were Shomer Shabbat, mainly resident in Carlton and the Feiglin family, who would play an important role in enabling Rabbi Groner launch Lubavitch.
In those days there were no Jewish day schools and no one would even have dreamt of setting up a Yeshiva. I recollect how we always struggled on a Friday night to make a minyan at the Elwood Talmud Torah, located then in a tiny ramshackle house. I will never forget when my father invited a stranger from the street to make up the tenth man and how stunned we were after davening when he told us that he found the service very fascinating - but he was not Jewish.
Into this environment, of his own volition, Rabbi Groner subsequently took up the option from the Rebbe… there was no obligation or coercion… to become the first Chabad Shaliach to Australia initially for a limited duration of 3-5 years. We have to thank Hashem that ultimately he decided to remain in Australia all his life and in so doing brought about a revolution in Jewish life.
I stem from a Mizrachi religious Zionist background which differs considerably from the hashkafa of Lubavitch. But that did not inhibit me from developing a special, if I may say, unique relationship with Rabbi Groner, and as the years passed I grew to love and revere him more and more. I was privileged to have him at my smachot, my children’s barmitzvas and their weddings as well as on sad occasions. My father, ע"ה (alav hashalom), always admired him and may she be spared many more years, my mother’s eyes would light up whenever she heard Rabbi Groner’s name mentioned.
Our lives interacted communally, and even when we had occasional differences the personal relationship was never affected. I must confess that after I made aliya, aside from my family, one of the people I missed most was Rabbi Groner and whenever I visited Australia I automatically made his home one of my first ports of call.
To his credit, Harav Groner, refused to become involved in communal politics, but his presence radiated at all levels and we frequently got together to quietly discuss matters of Jewish concern. He was always deeply committed to Klal Yisrael and ahavat Am Yisrael whether this applied to Jews in Russia, Eretz Yisrael, or anywhere. His motto remained "Kol Yisrael arevim ze bazeh". All Jews are responsible for one another.
Rabbi Groner brought me on three occasions to meet the Rebbe who was interested in my work in the Soviet Union where I had developed close contacts, amongst others, with local Chabad Jewish activists, especially in Moscow. At these fascinating encounters I was able to observe the high regard in which the Rebbe held Harav Groner.
My dear friends. I was a political leader of this beautiful community over many years. I became acquainted with all the key Jewish and Israeli leaders so I don’t consider myself klein shtetldig or provincial. So believe me. When I heard the bitter news that Harav Groner had passed away and I described him as the most outstanding leader Australian Jewry has ever had, I was not indulging in exaggerated praise or rhetoric. I was speaking the truth. When I subsequently wrote an obituary along these lines in the Jerusalem Post, one of my sons remarked, “I know you are deeply moved and attached to Rabbi Groner and that you regarded him as a great personality, but weren’t you somewhat over the top describing him as the greatest Australian Jewish leader of the past century?” I told him that the true test of successful leadership is the ירושה (yerusha) which remains after one has departed from this world. I said that political leaders promoting Israel and fighting anti Semitism certainly make important contributions. But ultimately it is those who guarantee continuity by ensuring that the next generation of children will remain committed Jews, rather than those interfacing with the outside world, who bequeath the most meaningful lasting impact.
Harav Groner was the most important driving force strengthening Judaism in Australia over the past half century. He built Chabad into a major power house in the Australian Jewish community. Its Yeshivot, kollelim, Yeshiva College and Beth Rivkah - which encompass over 1500 Talmidim, Ohel Chana for women, Chabad Houses and mikvaot, have had a huge impact at all levels of activity within Australian Jewry. And of course the majority of Shuls in the country are today directed by Chabad Rabbanim.
Harav Groner embodied the best characteristics of what I would describe as the Chabad physiognomy of Kiruv which distinguishes Chabad from other haredi groups. His own personal success was due to a combination of מסירת נפש (mesirat nefesh) and an incredibly attractive charismatic personality, charm and radiance which endeared him to all who were privileged to meet him. He was also an incredible orator whose drashot and speeches were inspirational. These attributes enabled him to influence people he encountered and resulted in many non observant Jews to become baalei teshuva.
He was also a man of extraordinary compassion which manifested itself in his sensitive relationships with Shoa survivors and his Herculean efforts wherever possible within the framework of Halacha, to resolve difficult personal religious problems.
In his personal life Harav Groner represented the epitome of modesty and humility. Aside from a marvelous library of ספרי קודש (sifrei kodesh) he effectively shunned material possessions, beyond what was required for basic living. This reflected a man consumed by spiritualism for whom material luxuries were a mere diversion.
But when it came to raising funds for the Yeshiva, he was like a tiger and personally raised vast sums, a large proportion of which came from non observant Jews who deeply respected him. His fundraising enabled the Yeshiva to grow, and also overcame a few crises when it was close to bankruptcy, such as his 80th Birthday celebration which took place with the participation of the then Prime Minister John Howard when over $1 million for Chabad was raised in his honor.
Although Chabad would not be regarded as a Zionist body, Harav Groner truly epitomized Aahavat Eretz Yisrael far exceeding many of those who describe themselves as Zionists. He actively campaigned in raising funds for Israel and every time I spoke to him he would begin passionately discussing and questioning me concerning the מצב (Matzav) in Israel. His father was born in Yerushalayim and his mother in Hevron and at his request he was buried with his family in Yerushalayim on Har Hazeitim.
In a sentence Harav Groner was a role model of spiritual leadership and unquestionably the most beloved Rabbi revered by all sections of the community – non observant as well as religious.
A great light in the Jewish world has been extinguished. But Rabbi Groner’s towering achievements remain. Even today here in Melbourne I still sense his charismatic presence looming larger than life everywhere I go He will serve as a Melitz Yosher, not merely to his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, but to all future Jewish leaders as well as to the thousands of men and women from all walks of life who were privileged to encounter this extraordinary Rabbi and wonderful human being imbued with כוונה (Kavana). Would that the Jewish world was blessed with a few more Rabbis possessing the qualities of Harav Groner. I refer not merely to Australia and other Diaspora communities, but even in Eretz Yisrael.
Bereshit perek mem tet, pasuk lamed gimmel it states:
"And when Yaakov had finished instructing his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed and expired and was gathered to his people”.
This פסוק (pasuk) effectively states that יעקב אבינו (Yaakov Avinu) passed away peacefully only after achieving his objective of instructing his children – the 12 who would form the tribes of the new nation.
In fact Chazal point out that ויגוע ויאסף אל עמיו (vayigva, vaye’asef el amav) does not even explicitly say he died. In תלמוד בבלי, מסכת תענית עמוד ה' ב, (Talmud Bavli, masechet ta’anit, amud heh bet,) there is a discussion between Rav Yitzchak and Rav Nachman with Rav Yitzchak actually insisting that יעקוב אבינו לא מת (Yaakov avinu lo met) – Yaakov did not die. Whilst Yaakov may have died in a physical sense, Rav Yitzchak subsequently explained that מה זרעו בחיים– אף הוא בחיים. (ma zaro b’chaim – af hu b’chaim) Just as his children were alive so he continued to live.
We can say that Harav Yitzchok Dovid Groner departed from us only after having molded his community. In a sense we are all spiritually the children he created through the flourishing חנוך (chinuch) and תורה (Torah) institutions which he founded.
Like Yaacov, his influence and teaching continue through the living legacy of his own wonderful sons and daughters and grandchildren and the thousands of Talmidim and others who were influenced by him and will strive to carry on his work.
The Jewish community of Australia had the זכות (zchut) and was blessed to have a noble leader like Harav Groner who laid the foundations for us. It is up to all of us to continue fulfilling his objectives. May his memory be a blessing to his family and all those whom he touched with his warm heart.
